Breaking In

Jamie Barrett is Partner & Creative Director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco.

Nike

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Check out some great work from Andrew Keller.

WS: What do you look for in a student book? And what impresses you?

AK: Attitude. Are they going for it? Or are they lazy? Are they doing all the same things everyone else is doing? Have they invented anything? Is the work interactive and engaging or is it just two-dimensional?

WS: How important is finish? If ideas are the most important thing, can sketches be enough? Do you look at physical books anymore, or is it all websites?

AK: If you are an art director you have to be able to design. I’m over “idea people” that don’t possess manual skills of any kind. Sketches may indicate laziness or lack of passion. If you love it, why not make it? I like some sort of physicality still in a portfolio, mainly because the alternative puts the burden on me to seek out and manage the presentation, and I don’t have time for that.

WS: How important is writing? Do you need to see long copy?

AK: I don’t have to see it, but if I did and it was good, I would hire that person. The question is, why are you a writer if you don’t write?

WS: What do you think of showing work that is not advertising? Things like art, journal writing, photography, hobbies, etc.

AK: It’s fine and can show true skills as long as the person is truly passionate about advertising. I’m not a fan of people who do advertising while they are waiting to do their real passion.

WS: Do you have any other advice for a student or junior?

AK: There is no lack of jobs, only lack of skills. Cultivate a passion for everything. Learn digital.

Burger King – “Subservient Chicken”

Burger King – “Whopper Sacrifice” Case Study

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Check out some great work from Steve Yee.

WS: What do you look for in a student book? And what impresses you?

SY: The thing that impresses me is strong thinking. It’s the answer any creative director will say. I see lots of books that show off how funny or how clever a creative can be, which is good. But the thing that I also look for is maturity. Show me you can think beyond a funny headline and attach it to a bigger thought that makes me think the product is cool.

WS: Can someone get a job with a book of sketches these days, or does it need to be finished work?

SY: A good idea is a good idea, so, yeah, I think a person can, but that idea better be amazing. With everything going multimedia however, a sketch may not be enough, particularly for art directors. I have to see your ability to design to properly measure you.

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Universal Studios

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Check out some great work from Eric Baldwin.

WS: What do you look for in a student book? And what impresses you?

EB: I look for thinking that is surprising and fresh. I look for things I wish I would have thought of. Since I am an art director with a graphic design background, I place a lot of importance on an art director’s design skills. Not only does the idea have to be surprising when it comes to an art director’s book, the design and layout are judged under the same lens.

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WS: How important is writing? Do you need to see long copy?

EB: If you’re a writer, it’s really important. If you’re an art director, as long as the ideas are great, and the execution is fresh, surprising, and beautiful, I can let the writing slide. That said, I feel really good art directors should be able to write. Personally, I don’t really need to see long copy in an ad book. But if you wrote a novel, you might want to mention that.

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Eric Baldwin is Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy, Portland.

Levi’s

Career Builder

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Check out some great work from Jon Krevolin.

WS: What do you look for in a student book? And what impresses you?

JK: Different thinking. Bold ideas. Understanding of human nature and strategy. And something that makes me laugh. Or cry.

WS: How important is finish? If ideas are the most important thing, can sketches be enough?

JK: For a copywriter it’s all about ideas. An art director needs a bit more finish, though.

WS: How important is writing? Do you need to see long copy?

JK: It’s not essential, but it’s always good to show you can do long copy. It shows you really know how to write.

WS: What do you think of showing work that is not advertising?

JK: Other stuff is great and encouraged. However, show you can do advertising too.

WS: Do you have any other advice for a student or junior trying to get into the business?

JK: Perseverance, baby. Even when you make it, that’s what’s going to help you get ahead. Don’t take “no” for an answer.

Jon Krevolin is Senior Creative Director at BBDO, New York.

Domino’s

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Check out some great work from Todd Riddle.

Interviewed at BBH New York.

TR: …the main thing is breadth and depth. So I can tell pretty quickly if someone is really good at one thing, and usually you assume that, by the time the book gets to you, there’s something in there that’s pretty good. But what really impresses me is someone who has various tones of voice in the work that they have. In other words, they can do something serious, they can do something funny, they can handle something more mainstream or a really tough brand but in an interesting way, and also, say, something that’s really smart. And to give an example: The Economist is a classic example of a really smart brand that’s able to show off a creative person’s ability to write or think in a really smart way. Something like Axe, here at BBH: is funny, guy humor, I guess. The Volkswagen stuff, whether it’s from Arnold or Crispin, is sort of more mainstream, and sits somewhere in between. So that’s just an example of three different kinds of voices that I can pick up pretty quickly if they can do more than one.

So if someone comes in and does all bathroom, guy humor, and the whole book is like that, it is pretty evident. So I’m really impressed right away by breadth. Also, I would say a lot of writers really aren’t very good. A lot of writers who call themselves writers aren’t really good at the craft of writing.

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